


Reclamation

by Lievius



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: 4.5 Spoilers, Additional Tags to Be Added, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon character deaths, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happyish Ending, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Spoilers, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Spoilers, I love this dumb lizard boy, Multi, Sad, Slow Burn, character exploration, did I mention slow burn, some violence, very slow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2019-10-20 08:47:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17619224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lievius/pseuds/Lievius
Summary: SPOILERS FOR 4.5 and (eventually) DRK LVL 70 QUEST-YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!After the events proceeding the Eorzean Alliance meeting, one Warrior of Light finds herself lost to guilt and remorse. What better time to abandon your duties, return to Ishagard and avoid your feelings and moral obligation to the world?Slow, SLOW burn, character exploration, angst. Sad stuff. Lots of feels. Rating updated to mature. Bad at summaries.





	1. Downfall

**Author's Note:**

> Self-indulgent writing of my WoL and eventually the DRK family. Angsty sad stuff. Poor WoL is having a not-so-good-very-bad-day/week/year?  
> Set up/intro is long, sorry!! Trying to get my writing legs back after a very long hiatus :^)

     Everything was falling apart.

The fleeting peace brought to Ala Mhigo was shattered. Negotiations between the Eorzean Alliance and the Garlean Empire had failed miserably, bringing war and bloodshed back to the vast open plains and valleys of The Lochs. Her comrades, her _friends_ , had willingly put themselves in danger once more to protect what they believed in- the freedom of their homelands, their people and their Warrior of Light. And still she had failed them when they needed her most.

Aunyx’s eyes wandered to the blood that stained the desert sand, the liquid pooling together with the magitek fuel that leaked from the ruined machinery that now littered the battlefield. Scrunching her nose in disgust, her heightened sense of smell was overwhelmed by the stench of sweat, death and singed fur. She had narrowly avoided being crushed by a magitek gunship brought down by Ishgardian cannons, but the falling shrapnel from the airship had managed to tear one of her delicate furred ears. The bleeding had thankfully stopped, but the throbbing pain remained. Her entire body ached- it had been awhile since she had fought so fiercely and it showed as she tried to catch her breath, a film of sweat covering her bare shoulders. Though the battle had been won against the Garlean sisters, the victory had been short-lived at the return of the voice within Aunyx’s head.

_“The Light…will expunge all life…”_

It was the same voice as before, but this time it was louder. Clearer. More urgent.

_"Only you…can forestall the calamity…”_

The words pierced through her mind, almost cutting her thoughts in two as she tried to remain conscious. Her vision blurred, the surrounding area almost blending entirely together in hues of gray and brown. The pain was much more intense than before, as if it was tearing her apart from the inside out. Using her spear to steady herself, she focused on the voice, trying to concentrate on the omen and its words. Why was this happening? What calamity was it speaking of? Why couldn’t she snap out of this like she could when she experienced the echo?

_“Throw wide…the gates…”_

Aunyx’s eyes couldn’t focus through the head splitting pain, thought she could vaguely see Alisaie’s hand extending towards her. Their outreached fingers brushed briefly, before Alisaie began to fall forward, her eyes rolling back as she lost consciousness.  
The voice finally began to fade, leaving a deafening ring in Aunyx’s ears as she gasped for air. Trembling as she grasped her spear for balance, she could feel the tears in her eyes begin to wash over her flushed cheeks. Not again, not like this. She had already lost the few remaining Scions and countless other warriors of light to the unending slumber- and now Alisaie too.

 “Alisaie…you can’t leave me too...” She breathlessly sputtered, beginning to lose the last grip she had on her waning composure.

 “…I don’t want to be alone.”

With hooded eyes, she could make out the silhouettes of both Hien and Yugiri approaching her. They were talking, but she couldn’t make sense of what they were saying. It felt like the world was collapsing on her, darkening the edges of her vision until eventually fading to black.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 “Have you ever considered using your gift for something a bit more…meaningful?” Alphinaud carefully began, treading cautiously in fear of offending the miqo'te warrior that stood before him.  
“You know, a cause for the greater good? A worthy campaign that would not only affect you, but would encompass all those of Eorzea?”

The young miqo'te girl tilted her head, thoroughly contemplating the boy’s question. She was not much older than the elezen, and only a few inches taller. Her dark purple hair was neatly pulled out of her face in a loose braid, allowing Alphinaud to see her piercing violet eyes deep in thought. While Alphinaud wasn’t entirely sure of all the differences between the miqo'te races, he knew for a fact that only Seekers of the sun had such unnerving pupils, slender and needle-like in shape. Her tail flicked back and forth, until she nodded to herself, cupping the side of her face with her hand. She flashed a smile at Alphinaud.

“Never really thought of it. Gridania is my home, it’s where I grew up. Not to mention the Lancer’s guild always has quests for me to do, the coin is decent. Why would I leave?”

“You’ve never thought about the world outside of the Black Shroud?”

“Of course I have. It’s not like I don’t want to travel, you know, see the world and all.” Aunyx hesitated. “I just don’t have the money, I doubt I’d get past Quarrymill before running of coin. Gear isn’t cheap to repair, you know.”

Alphinaud frowned. Coin would not be a concern should the miqo'te choose to assist the scions in their search for primals. She was gifted in the lance, that much was certain. He had observed her in menial tasks and quests assigned by the guild, and she had a knack for bobbing and weaving effortlessly in-between monsters and assailants. She was a force to be reckoned with, and it was clear to see why the lancer’s guild held her in such high regard despite her age.

“Your finesse with a lance is unprecedented, yes. But your talent lies elsewhere, from what the guild master has alluded. You have visions, manifestations of others pasts, I’ve been told. Don’t you think that ability could be used in a more, lucrative manner?”

She was clearly uncomfortable at the mention of her gift. All her life she was told by her parents that she just had an excitable imagination, something that was all in her head. As she got older, the visions became clearer and more frequent, enough that she had confided to her guild master when it began to interfere with her trainings. He had promised to keep her gift a secret, though it seemed now that he had failed to keep that promise.

Alphinaud pressed on. “There are others like you, others who can see things far beyond this world. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, many liken it as blessing from Hydaelyn herself. Something that can be put to good use, to help those in need.”

This didn’t comfort the miqo'te, and it was clear that Alphinaud was poorly convincing her in joining the scion’s plight against the summoning of primals. If only Minfilia was here, he thought. She was much better equipped to answer the lancer’s questions and soothe her concerns about the exact goals and ambitions of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.

“If I was to join this…grand quest you keep talking about, would I be able to return to Gridania when it’s finished?” The question abruptly interrupted Alphinaud’s thoughts, although it was welcomed as he was beginning to panic at the thought of potentially scaring off the lancer.

“That’s not a question I can answer, I’m afraid.” He meekly replied, shrugging. He continued.  
 “If it means anything though, I know someone who can.”


	2. Guilt

Waking suddenly from her sleep, Aunyx groaned as she ran a hand through her disheveled, now unbraided, hair. She could instantly feel cold sweat drops clinging to her forehead, probably covered in dirt from her last fight. All she could feel was pain- in her aching muscles and in her tightening chest. Everything hurt. Raising a hand to wipe her forehead, her eyes contracted to adjust to the room she had awoken in. There was enough sunlight filtering in through the windows that she could tell she was back in the Ala Mhigan Quarters, though she was completely lost on how much time had past since she had passed out. Rolling onto her stomach, she lifted herself up into a more comfortable sitting position, her lower body tangled in the thin bedding. She wrapped her tail closer to her body as she pulled her legs up to her chest, her lilac eyes dully blinking as she began to process what had occurred. Albeit slowly, she began to recount and remember the events that had unfolded during the advance against the Garleans.

And Alisaie. Her last standing companion that understood the trials and tribulations she had endured as a peacekeeper of the realm, now locked in a seamlessly endless sleep like the rest of her companions. And there was nothing within her powers that she could do to wake them. What kind of champion of Hydaelyn was she if she couldn’t save those closest to her? Her chest continued to tighten, thinking of all the things she had failed to do as an adventurer. How had everything become unraveled so quickly? How could she let this happen?

Wrapped in her own guilt, Aunyx failed to hear the subsequent knock and door opening to her bedroom. Yugiri stood hesitantly in the doorframe, unsure if her approach would be welcomed or shunned. She decided to take a chance, considering the Warrior of Light was in no shape to refuse food and drink, at the very least.

“It’s good to see you awake, Lyse and the others has been worried sick about you.” Yugiri set the platter down on the tablet beside the bed, careful to not disturb Aunyx’s few belongings. Pulling up a chair, Yugiri sat down, hands resting gently on her trousers. She frowned slightly, noticing the lack of rest in Aunyx’s eyes. Although she had been asleep for days, she looked as if she hadn’t slept in weeks. Was all the turmoil and fighting wearing on her so heavily? Or was this a side effect of the voice that had inflicted sleep upon the other scions?

“What happened, after I…” Aunyx began to trail off, her voice hoarse from lack of use. She was no stranger to passing out due to exhaustion, but this was something completely different.

“Lord Hien and I managed to get you and Alisaie back to the camp safety. You know, even dressed in armor, you are a lot lighter than we expected-” Yugiri recalled, before realizing this was not the time or place to be discussing the miqo'te’s lithe figure. “Alisaie is with the others in the observation infirmary. I’m afraid that her state is similar to the others.”

Aunyx nodded her head slowly, processing that Alisaie had succumbed to the effects of the voice just like the others had. Over and over again, She could only see the distressing expression Alisaie had worn before passing out etched in her mind. Alisaie had confined to Aunyx about her fears of the voice, and the concerns about what it meant for the others locked in their comatose state. Aunyx curled up even tighter than before, her fingers fidgeting with the sheets that barely covered her exposed legs and her tail wrapping around her ankle. All of a sudden she felt very small, as if her accomplishments meant nothing. She was alone now, no scions to stand beside her. Yugiri could feel the tension mounting, and attempted to change the subject to something more comfortable. Or, at least attempted to.  

“You managed to escape the fight with few wounds, thankfully. Your ear is, however…” her eyes shifted to the miqo'te’s ears. While one ear was in perfect condition, the other had suffered enough cartilage damage that a scar would be inevitable. Aunyx had managed to avoid more permanent damage and scarring through her countless battles, but it seems this time she was not as lucky.

Aunyx reactively moved a hand quickly to her ears, inspecting each with a delicate touch. When her fingers found the wound, she recoiled with a hiss. The injury was still fresh, and stung harshly at the slightest touch. She felt her face turn hot and red, suddenly growing angry. Cupping her face with her hands she attempted to hide her frustration.

“I’m so stupid.”

“Don’t say things like that” Yugiri quickly grabbed Aunyx’s hands, pulled them down with a gentle smile.  
“Things don’t always go the way we plan,” Yugiri started. “It’s not your fault these things are happening- None of us could have predicted this. You’re not infallible, so stop trying to be.”

“But i’m a Warrior of Light, that’s exactly what i’m supposed to do.” Aunyx choked, her eyes brimming with anguish. Her pupils had dilated, filling her iris’s with large dark circles instead of her usual slim pupils. “What other purpose do I have? This is all I know... all i’ve ever done. What purpose do I serve if can’t even protect the ones closest to me- let alone others. I’ve failed the scions. I’ve failed the alliance. I don’t know who else I can disappoint but i’m SURE there’s someone out there who I haven’t let down yet.”

“Last I check the alliance is not unhappy with you, From what I have heard from the alliance leaders, you’ve laid your life on the line countless times for them, just like you did for Lord Hien, and for Doma. Nobody thinks that you’ve failed them.”

 “It doesn’t feel like that.” Aunyx retorted. It was clear that her mind was set on this mindset, regardless of the action yugiri took. It would be best to move away from the subject entirely.

  
  “I went ahead and picked up some fresh food from the kitchen, I would assume after your...ordeal, that you would be hungry. If there is anything you might additionally require, one must only ask.”

Yugiri took her leave, politely bowing before exiting the room. The air in the room grew stagnant and quiet once more, leaving Aunyx feeling even more uncomfortable than before. Thankful that Yugiri had brought her food, she tore into the bread and meat left on her tableside bed. She hadn’t realized how hungry she had been until Yugiri had mentioned it. Finishing her meal with impressive speed, she sat with her arm loosely hanging over her knee, contemplating what her next move would be. She could return to Mor Dhona and the Rising Stones, but it didn’t feel anything like home without the others. However selfish, she didn’t want to think about her friends. Not until she could find a way to bring them back from whatever realm their souls, their essence, had departed to. She couldn’t return to Gridania, either- It had been years since she had spent more than a fleeting moment there, for fear of running into her parents. She had left them in the dark about her departure and adventures, to keep them safe from those who would use them against her. No, the Black Shroud was completely out of the question. Elsewhere she thought, such as the shores of Limsa Lominsa or possibly the endless deserts of Thanalan. None of those choices seemed welcoming or pleasant enough to her. She had the coin to travel across the Ruby Sea, but she never felt at home in the humid Yanxia forests. And the last time she had ventured onto the Azim Steppe she had once again been challenged by Sadu and her Dotharl brothers and sisters. No, she needed a place where she could blend in, hide from others. Disappear.

 She chuckled dryly.

Well, there was once place she could go, where she could hide herself in layers of armor and cloth and nobody would be the wiser to who she was. Rummaging through her knapsack leaning against the bed frame, she pulled out a well worn map, one of the few belongings she had managed to take on most of her journeys. Gently unfolding the weather corners, she laid the map out on her bed, and gently traced her fingers along a familiar route. Her fingers stopped at a familiar crest, situated above an elaborate illustration of the City Ishgard. She weakly smiled.

“I hate the cold.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get in losers, we're going to Ishgard next chapter.  
> DRK family incoming. Terrified to write Sidurgu and Rielle. Let's roll with it.
> 
> TY for reading, btw :3c


	3. Familiar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rielle and Sid time  
> More world building

“Staring at the hunt board won’t make new postings magically appear, Sid.” Rielle mused, rocking back and forth on her heels nonchalantly, borderline impatiently. Rielle and Sid were standing side by side as a light snow began to descend on Ishgard, a dusting of white flecks beginning to coat the au ra’s metallic armor and greatsword. They had been standing outside the Forgotten Knight for what felt like an eternity, and although her jacket was well insulated, Rielle didn’t like spending unnecessary time in the cold streets of Foundation. “No new marks though?” The board looked empty, beside for some older postings from months ago.

“None. Again.” Sid huffed. Supporting himself with one hand planted firmly on the brick wall of the building, his eyes continued to scan the tattered and torn papers that littered the board. Old postings shouldn’t be left on the damn board, he thought to himself. It had been several days since a new hunt bill had been posted, and the weeks prior had dwindled in postings and sightings of monsters. There were occasional lulls in hunts, which was to be expected, but nothing compared to the current dry spell of quests. Sure, there was the usual beasts that roamed the frozen wastelands of Coerthas, and often farmer’s would need them slaughtered to protect their livestock. But the best money was found in more desirable, and dangerous, prey. Prey that had seemingly disappeared overnight.

“Well, “ Rielle began, folding her arms across her chest and tilting her head slightly. “There’s always mercenary work, Ardolain always has some ideas or people looking to hire some-”

“I’m not working for anymore of Ardolain’s clientele after that last disaster of an escort.”

“It wasn’t that bad, I got most of the blood and feathers out of your under armor and gauntlets.”

“Rielle…” Sid sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose as he grew more annoyed remembering the incident.

“And the pay was good….well, after you threatened to shake him down for all the gil in his pockets.”

Oh, right. He had almost forgotten about that part.

Rielle continued. “Oh! And Remember that time you managed to lose half of Camp Dragonhead’s Karakul herd? Actually, maybe asking Ardolain for more work isn’t the best idea after all with your track record...”

Grumbling to himself, Sid turned to face Rielle. She had grown much taller since they had first met during the Dragonsong war, but he still managed to stand several heads above her. She had grown out her seafoam green hair, styling it in a side braid that ended slightly past her collar bone, with small wisps sticking out behind her pointed ears. Outgrowing her trademark smock and snow boots, she donned a more fitted, ornate jacket that fell to her knees with a furred collar that kept the chill off of her neck. Her leggings were a darker shade of blue, similar to her old tights with brown boots that stopped below her knees. She looked like a typical citizen of Ishgard, an observation that Sid often teased her about. That’s where the similarities ended for Rielle, however. Despite her appearance, her personality did not lack spirit and fire when unknowingly (or knowingly) harassing him about his questionable quest abilities or berating him when he came back from hunts bruised and covered in blood- his own or of another. It was partly his fault though. As Rielle opened up and grew less shy, she had began to take after him in personality and banter- Which could be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. Still, it was nice to have someone around who could spit retorts back at him.

“I never said I was good at things besides fighting and maiming, so I don’t know why you told Ardolain i’d take quests from those prissy highborn shites! I just thought that there’d be something to fucking hunt today, It’s been weeks since anyone’s posted about an A rank, let alone an S rank.”

“I don’t think standing around and arguing about your lack of interpersonal skills is going to get us jobs or quests. Can’t we just call it a day and go home? It’s freezing and I have new conjury books to read.”

Although she had a point, Sid was reluctant to give up the search so quickly. If he could find something to do, anything to avoid menial tasks and babysitting missions, he’d take it in a heartbeat. Halone knew that he was done with babysitting after taking Rielle under his wing, and the whole fiasco with Myste years ago. Still, the early winter sun had already begun to set, signaling that night would fall within the next few hours. There was no point in trying to go out into the highlands for a quick kill- the last place one wanted to be was in the open snowfields of Coerthas in the middle of a snowstorm. Rielle was right, Sid begrudgingly agreed, and it would be better to continue searching for work tomorrow when the weather had improved and the day was fresh.

Sighing and admitting defeat, Sid rested both his hands on his hips and motioned his head in the direction of the Jeweled Crozier. Rielle, understanding Sid’s lack of words, beamed happily and set off in the direction of their makeshift home, a slight bounce in her step.

Home was the best way Sid could describe it, although it wasn’t exactly their home. Tucked away in a small alley on the busy Jeweled Crozier, was a small abode that suited Sid and Rielle’s needs perfectly. It was far away from the bustling crowds and sounds of the merchant row, but close enough that it was convenient enough to repair armor and weapons when needed or pick up something to eat after a long day out in the field. While the exterior was a bleak cobblestone, like most of the ishgardian architecture, the inside was a bit homier and welcoming. While Sid had forbid Rielle from getting too creative with the interior decorating, the living quarters were still warm and showed proof that someone was living there. The living room was furnished with a large sectional pushed up against the far wall, paired with a matching table set and a basic carpet that covered the cold stone floor. A modest fireplace occupied the other wall. The kitchen, while small, served the two well when it was actually used, although Sid avoided cooking entirely after almost burning the brume down with Fray many years ago. At the back of the room were small bedrooms. While Rielle had taken some artistic liberty in decorating her space with various books, new conjury spells and other small knick knacks she had acquired, Sid left his bedroom in the same state as when they had moved in- empty, besides for a bed, a small side table and a work space for his armor and chainmail.

By the time Sid caught up with Rielle, she had already unlocked the door and settled on the couch, removing her heavy outer coat and shoes at the entrance of the home. Closing the door to the wind and snow, Sid glanced over the still smoldering embers in the fireplace, grateful that they had left them burning before setting out earlier that morning. While he had spent most of his life in the cold grips of Coerthas, the cold still occasionally got through his layers of armor and clothing and froze him to his core. Brushing the remaining melting snow off of his shoulders, he removed Deathbringer from his back and placed it carefully in the corner of the room, next to a bound leather-wrapped greatsword of smaller size.

“You’ve got snow stuck to your horns again.” Rielle chirped, realizing that Sid was unaware of the ice frozen to the outer edges of his angled dark horns. Muttering a curse under his breath, he reached up to his horns and began to scratch away at the cold icy material that clung to him. Freeing the last of the ice clinging to him, He sat down next to Rielle, placing his arms over the backside of the couch.

“And some in your hair too.”

Much to Rielle’s shock and surprise, Sid responded by closing his eyes, shaking his head furiously, and letting snow chunks fall out haphazardly onto the couch and Rielle. Once he was satisfied with his method of snow removal, he shot a bored glance over to Rielle, who was now caught in a whirlwind of laughter.

“Is that better?”

Catching her breathe, Rielle responded. “Much better.”

The two sat in comfortable silence- Rielle opening her newest conjurer book, pen in hand to write notes in the margin while Sid remained quiet, eyes closed, still wearing his armor sitting beside Rielle. This is how they spent most of their evenings, Rielle babbling about a new technique she was learning, or how she spent the day wandering Ishgard, listening to the stories vagrant adventurers told at the Forgotten Knight. It was familiar. Pleasant even. While Sid would never admit it, the life he had grown accustomed to the past few years felt comfortable, something he had felt or experienced since he was a small child. It was nice.

He opened his eyes and frowned. They wouldn't have any of this- the house, the peace of mind, even possibly Rielle- without Aunyx, and yet Sid hadn't seen or heard from her in over year.

She had managed to show up in both their lives at a most pertinent time- when Sid had lost Fray, and when Rielle had been persistently pursued by Temple Knights. She, who had little knowledge or reason to trust either of them, had risked her life to defend Rielle against the tyrannical church that would have slaughtered her if given the opportunity. The same miqo’te who faced Myste and his conjurings of fallen would-be heroes and peace makers, without a hint of fear or doubt. And won when Sid had failed.

It had been 2 years now, since Aunyx had departed Ishgard. She had written letters infrequently back to them, but even those had stopped as the months passed by. Rielle was upset at first, worrying that something had happened to her. Sid, however, knew her better- she was probably wrapped up in another Scion catastrophe. And when the rumors and gossip arrived in Ishgard, his suspicions were right.

Sid had heard murmurs in the tavern, about a dark haired miqo’te leading the Ala Mhigo Resistance to the east of the continent. How Ishgard was getting pulled into a war they had no reason to be fighting in. Discussions of primals being summoned and felled by a lancer of unprecedented strength. There was only one who could do those things. He knew she had other matters to deal with, considering her title and fame across the realm. Primal feller. Nidhogg Slayer. Azure Dragoon. A Warrior of Light, Blessed by Hydaelyn, or something. But still, it had felt nice having another Dark Knight around, even if she did bring trouble wherever she went. She had left most of her fending armor behind, saying that a Dark Knight wouldn’t be welcomed where she was going. And she left her broadsword, now collecting dust in the corner of the living room. He had thought about moving the weapon to more discreet location, away from potential prying eyes, but decided that leaving it in the same spot she left it would only be respectful.

He understood her reasoning for leaving her belongings behind- It would be treason to wield the dark arts as a Warrior of Light in the political turmoil that was unfolding. No, it was better for her to leave this part of her behind. At first, he had almost hoped she would return once her duty complete, but as the two years dragged on, he had a come to accept she was preoccupied with much larger issues. Nay, he had barely thought of her the past year, almost forgetting that the only reason they lived in this apartment was due to the fact she was gifted it by none other than Aymeric de Borel, Speaker of the bloody House of Lords. Before leaving, she had entrusted the home to Sid, telling him to keep it clean for whenever she eventually returned, adding a point that she would pummel him if she found any holes in the walls or wind damage from Rielle’s aero casting practice. Looking back, it seemed that she had used that excuse to give him ownership of the place. Like she knew she wouldn’t return.

No, it was better this way.  
Or at least Sid had convinced himself that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aunyx pulled a “I’m going to the gas station for milk be right back” on DRK fam, rude.  
> Content (happy even?) Sid is a good Sid.
> 
> Trying to stretch my legs writing these two, they are hard to pinpoint ;;-;;7 Tried to give a sibling vibe more than a parent/child relationship, hopefully the banter is in-character.  
> Visually speaking, I think the Alliance coat of Healing would fit Rielle really well, considering the climate in Ishgard and the clothing she has in-game. Maybe she ran off and did some Ghimlyt dark dungeon runs….  
> Sid is still in Chaos armor because he’s a scrub that doesn’t like clothes shopping (AKA i still really love the chaos armor set)  
> More Aunyx content later, I just wanted to get the introduction out for these guys.  
> Age range i’ve come up with that is closest to my idea of ‘canon’ is Rielle is 14, Sid is 29. What a grouchy old man.


	4. Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sid gave an agitated sigh, finally averting his eyes away from her gaze. Fury, he was going to regret this.
> 
> “No aeros, no stone throwing, and for god’s sake no holys.” He warned, looking back at Rielle with an already displeased expression. “You’re going to heal, and that’s it. I swear, Rielle, I bloody swear if you let one rock fly this is the first and last time I take you anywhere near a hunt…”

Finally.

After a week of waiting, there was a new scrap of paper haphazardly nailed to the center of the hunt board, it’s corners already beginning to rip from the unforgiving Coerthas winds. Rank S, Last seen north of Camp Dragonhead.  20,000 gil to whoever could bring it’s head to the Hunt Captain stationed inside the camp’s fortress. The only problem? The description of the prey in question was too vague, the only notable description being that the monster was a large emerald dragon adorned in orange stripes. No mention of aggression level, potential weaknesses, or even the _size_ of the damn thing. Typical, house knights weren’t notorious for getting up close and personal with anything perceived as a real threat- and an S rank was exactly that.  A hunt was a hunt though, Sid thought as he tore the contract off the bulletin board.

It was early morning, a crisp chill hanging in the coerthas air as the sun rose over the spiraling towers above Foundation. It was part of a morning ritual he had development after undertaking hunting contracts- waking early, checking the board, talking to the usual patrons and bartenders at the forgotten knight. Having a predictable schedule was difficult as a mercenary, so any sort of routine was welcomed. Usually he made the rounds by himself, though this morning he was not alone. Rielle, who usually wasn’t one to wake early without some sort of bribery, was attentive and alert at Sid’s side, her face largely obscured by a gray woolen scarf.

“I can’t see what it says” Rielle balanced on the tips of her toes trying to get a glimpse of the parchment in Sid’s hands. “I wanna see where we’re going.”

‘ _We_ are not going anywhere. You’re staying here.” Carefully folding up the parchment, he slipped the paper between the dark metal plates of his armor- he wasn’t about to let anyone else catch a glimpse of the hunt proposal and potentially kill his mark before he had a chance to even reach the Gates of Judgment. The likelihood of someone else seeing the post before him were slim- The streets were only now beginning to bustle with activity. And the chances of someone who could actually challenge such a monster were even slimmer. No. He had an advantage, and he wasn’t going to let it slip through his grasp.

Turning his attention to Rielle, her unhappiness was immediately apparent with the idea of being left in Foundation and Sid could already see the frown growing on the young elezen’s face, her eyes glaring at him like daggers. He exhaled a long sigh and rubbed his temple - this was going to turn into another argument. He continued, trying to calmly explain his reasoning.  
  
“S rank. The last thing I want to deal with is watching my back and yours. You’re nowhere near ready to fight something like this.”

“I can heal you though, if it’s an S rank you’re going to need help.”

  
“You don’t need to watch over me like i’m some mewling pup. I’ll be fine.” 

“You always say that,” Her face was flushed red from the cold air, though Sid wondered if it was from her mounting frustration with him. “Instead of healing you when you come limping back home bruised and battered, like always I might add; I could keep you from getting hurt in the first place.”

“I don’t come back _limping_!”

  
“Yes you do,” Rielle spoke a little louder this time, meeting Sid’s gaze with a concerned and disheartened look in her eyes “You come home covered in scrapes and cuts bleeding from all sorts of wounds, and I have to heal you so you don’t bleed all over the place...” Her voice was getting louder, the disappointment in her voice growing by the second. Shite, this was going to be one of those kinds of arguments. It was too early for this, goddamnit.

“Listen,” He started, carefully choosing his next words. “I’m not doing this to be difficult- it’s just-”

“I can help if you just gave me the chance” Rielle interjected, ignoring Sid’s attempted rebuttal entirely. “I can take care of myself now- I’ve studied and practiced and I’m not going to get any better unless you let me try. I’ve helped before, so why not now? Please, Sid. I’ll be good I promise, I’ll listen and stay out of the way.”

However much he didn’t want to agree with her, she had a point. Through their, misadventures, Rielle had shown her innate skills in conjury. Between the encounter with countess Ystride and Myste summoning Ompagne, Rielle was no stranger to combat. Since then, he had watched her meticulously practice healing spells and devour entire conjury books in a matter of days. She could mend wounds, cast protective shields, even conjure complicated regenerative spells. Rielle was dedicated to learning the art of healing and she was good at it, that much was apparent. She had come so far from the first bouts of conjury that Fray had taught her long ago, back when she was a shy and reserved girl of barely 11 summers. It was understandable why she was frustrated- she wanted to prove herself, to be needed; It was Rielle’s nature to help people. It was a trait that Sid both admired and vehemently hated considering her need to always jump at the chance to help others.

Sid gave an agitated sigh, finally averting his eyes away from her gaze. Fury, he was going to regret this.

“No aeros, no stone throwing, and for _god’s sake no holys._ ” He warned, looking back at Rielle with an already displeased expression. “You’re going to heal, and that’s it. I swear, Rielle, I _bloody swear_ if you let one rock fly this is the first and last time I take you anywhere near a hunt…”

Rielle’s expression softened, a large grin stretching across her face. She was almost beaming with happiness, and Sid couldn’t quite tell if it was because she had bested him in an argument or if she was happy to be accompanying him on the hunt. Either way, he was happy to have Rielle back to her usual, cheery self. While he wasn’t ecstatic about taking her along, Sid much preferred a happy Rielle over a moody, irritated Rielle- even if it meant purposefully dragging her into rugged terrain and facing a monster he knew little to nothing about. Perfect, absolutely perfect.

“You won’t even know i’m there, besides the healing, of course.” She grinned, turning to head back to the Jeweled Crozier.

  
“I mean it Rielle, nothing, absolutely nothing, besides healing. You got it?”

  
“Perfectly clear.”

Finishing their argument outside of the Forgotten Knight, the two spent the rest of the day to gather resources and prepare for traveling. Returning to their residence, Rielle occupied her time by finishing the latest conjury book she had picked up from the market days before, while Sid muttered and cursed more than usual. Never one to feel nervous, especially before a hunt, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy about purposefully involving Rielle in a dangerous situation. Putting himself in harm's way was something he often did without a second thought- He had been doing it for years, once under the watchful eyes of his mentor and the battles he had fought alongside Fray. Adding a conjuror with little battle experience to the mix? That was another beast altogether. Was she going to stay out of the way? Would she actually listen to him? Or would this entire thing be a clusterfuck of a disaster that required House Fortemps guards to intervene and save their arses from being roasted alive? Gods, he was tense and they hadn’t even left Ishgard yet.

“It must take a lot of effort to look so irritated all the time.” Rielle’s voice abruptly brought him back to reality. She leaned comfortably against the doorframe, a book tucked in her arms. How long had she been standing there?

“Not at all, it comes naturally. Any reason for lurking in the doorway, or did you just want to remind me what my face looks like? ”

She should’ve expected that answer, it was his usual response when she mentioned his trademark scowl.  “I figured I ought to ask when we leave in the morning.”

Ah, yeah. Details. If she was tagging along, he had to give her more information that usual.

“Before sunrise. i’d rather get out of the city before the guard switches- the morning watch is talkative and it takes ages to get past the gates. Night guards are usually tired as hell at the end of their shift and just wave you through, no questions asked.”

“That’s so early though…”

“You don’t have to come if that cuts into your precious sleep schedule.”

Eyes narrowing, Rielle crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Sid, wearing a smug expression, knew persuading her was out of the question. It was going to take a lot more than a few missed hours of sleep to change Rielle’s mind. “Didn’t think I was, but I thought i’d try regardless.”

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just as he had said, Sid and Rielle had set off just before the sun had peaked over the mountains, and the two slowly began the trek to their first destination- Camp Dragonhead. While the previous day had been clear skies with a gentle breeze, a stormfront had begun to move in the night before, laying a fresh dusting of snow on the city. Fighting in snow and wind wasn’t optimal, but the conditions were bound to only get worse the longer they waited- Coerthas snowstorms often lingered, dumping huge amounts of snow in a matter of days.

Crossing the bridge was uneventful, much like Sid had predicted. The guards had merely waved them through- no questions, no small talk, not even a side glance from any new recruits who hadn’t seen the imposing Au Ra before. Rielle, walking a few steps behind him, Let out several yawns as they made their way across the bridge. Though visibly tired, she had awoken early with little complaint, a welcome surprise considering how she was an unsociable nuisance most mornings.

Sid was thoroughly impressed. “You really wanted to tag along, didn’t you?”

Another yawn, though this time Rielle’s face showed fatigue, her green eyes peeking out from under her heavy hooded eyelids. “What gave it away?”

“Well,” He began, raising his hand to his face in a questioning manner, a small smirk noticeable under his fist. “It’s between waking up before noon and managing to not be a complete chocobo arse about it.”

Receiving only a grumbled, incoherent reply, the pair continued to the camp without much conversation. The Central Highlands were as usual- poor visibility, unforgiving winds and completely inhospitable and barren besides the occasional flock of Bateleurs. As grim as the surrounding landscape was, the pathway to the Dragonhead had been recently shoveled, a welcomed sight after trudging through snow drifts on the Steps of Faith. Ever since the end of the Dragonsong War, Ishgard had made attempts to seem more welcoming to outsiders and adventurers- an effort that had been overlooked by most in Eorzea. After initial interest in the once mysterious kingdom had passed, the Holy See of Ishgard had made few improvements with other cities within the alliance. The public was too reserved and fearful of outsiders, a trait inherited after being secluded within city walls for years upon years. Nonetheless, Ishgard continued to make strides towards improving relations with the rest of the continent, most notably by maintaining and improving paths and roadways in the Coerthas Highlands. House Fortemps had been in charge of the operation, a fitting choice since their outlook on adventurers and outsiders were more...favorable than the other great houses.

Passing through the gates into the camp’s courtyard, the camp still seemed half asleep- besides for a few guards at their post, the settlement was empty. Sid made a point to stop by the camp’s makeshift tavern anytime he passed through on a quest or hunt- the bartender had ears like a hawk and knew nearly everything happening around the camp and about adventurers passing through the area. Making their way through the bar’s battered doors, an older elezen behind the counter looked up from the glass he was cleaning. His mostly grey hair was short, though pieces of auburn strands were still visible in small sections. He gave a chuckle and a smile, averting his eyes back to the work at hand once he recognized Sid.

“Haven’t seen you in awhile. ”

Sid pulled out the hunt declaration, and slid it across the countertop towards the bartender.

“Ah, I was wondering if it got posted to the hunt board in Ishgard. Been causing some problems around here for quite awhile now, surprised they didn’t put up a reward sooner.” The bartender finished cleaning the cup he had been polishing and gently placed it on the shelf below the bar.

Propping himself up against the counter with his arms crossed, Sid leaned to his side to bear the weight of his body and armor. “Was hoping you might have some more information on it.”

The elezen shook his head. “Fraid not. All I know is that they’ve been calling it Safat, and that it’s managed to pick off some of the less experienced knights that were foolish enough to go looking for it. Emmalian’s went ahead and told the knights not to bother with it.” He lowered his voice so that only Sid could hear him. “The poor bloke doesn’t know what to do except wait for an adventurer to pass by and take care of the mess. I know it’s only been two years since he took over as head of camp, and the boy shows promise, but he just can’t commit to anything big like this. It’d be a whole ‘nother disaster. Anyways, I haven’t heard any sightings for the past few days, but that could be because of the storm rolling in. That’s about all I know about the bugger.”

“Think a broadsword is enough to take it out, or am I a fool to try without backup?”

“Hm.” The elezen took a second to think, looking Sid up and down. “Think it’s possible, even if it’s a longshot. Although I assumed the little green haired girl was with you.”

“She is, but not as backup. She’s going to heal me _and that’s it._ Sid’s emphasis was aimed at Rielle, who was sitting at one of the empty tables eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Well, at least there will be more of you there to kill it.”

Silence.

Sid turned his entire body around, his expression now sharply pointed at the elezen. “Did you just say ‘more’ of us?”

“Oh I forgot to mention that didn’t I...someone came through camp last night and took a hunt declaration from the Hunt Captain. Nobody got a good look at them, they were wrapped up in a heavy cloak, well prepared for the climate out here. Headed out right afterwards.”

“Looks like someone beat you to it Sid.” Rielle hummed sarcastically, knowing full well how this news would get under his skin.

“How long ago exactly did they leave.” was all Sid could say without losing his temper. He was restraining himself all things considered- wanting nothing more than to flip the table Rielle was sitting at. He hadn’t taken into account a passerby to stop at the camp and talk directly to the Hunt Captain. At this point, whoever it was had a several hour head start over him. Was it even worth going out now? There was a real possibility of trekking out into the middle of nowhere and running across an adventurer with Safat’s head already ready for turning in.

The elezen watched as the internal conflict brewed in Sid’s mind. Having a large, potentially angry Au Ra in his small tavern lose his shit was not on the bartender’s agenda for the day. Eventually, the elezen spoke, trying to diffuse to the tense situation.

“It’s still worth a shot heading out now before the storm worsens. The other fellow might not have even run into the monster at this point.”

“And you’re sure it was only one person.”

“I’m only passing along information I heard from the Hunt Captain- Single adventurer, nobody with them.”

Sid was silent for a moment, before turning to Rielle. “We’re heading out. Now. I’m not going to let some wandering adventurer get my mark. Let’s go.”

Rielle almost jumped out of her seat as Sid made an abrupt beeline for the door, his chainmail rattling in the wind as the bitter chill filled the tavern. She gave the man a small smile before falling in line behind Sid, who was now visibly irritated, and headed towards the northern gate of the settlement. It was going to be a long day ahead for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got snowed in at the end of last week and just got to leave my house on Thursday, SO I should have spent more time on this, but I went a bit stircrazy being stuck inside for 5 consecutive days.
> 
> Still trying to get used to writing Sid.  
> ALSO sorry for really long intro, I didn't expect it to be so long, but here we are....
> 
> I'm also going to go ahead and change the rating to mature. Between the language, and violence that's depicted in later chapters, I don't think teen is a high enough rating. There may also be more sexual content later, but I'm not entirely set on anything yet. 
> 
> Thanks for the kudos, this is entirely self-indulgent so i'm glad other people enjoy it!


	5. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aunyx-focused chapter, needed to write something a bit easier and familiar. I’ve been drowning in job applications and real life garbage, so sorry for delay in posting this. This is all over the place but ahhhhhhhHHHHH. Not my favourite chapter i’ve written but it needed to be done.

Ice crunched under Aunyx’s sabatons as she dismounted her crimson-feathered lanner, snow beginning to fall heavily around the Coerthas Highlands. While the night before had been clear skies and gentle winds, a stormfront had pushed through in what seemed like a matter of hours. Coerthas was known for fast changing conditions, but even this was ridiculous- and it was bound to only worsen into the afternoon. It would be in her best interest to find this damn dragon, kill it _ fast _ and return to Dragonhead before the sun set behind the mountains and the freezing chill really set in. Steadying herself as she landed in a ankle deep snowdrift, she raised her arms to block the blowing snow, squinting her eyes towards the northern reaches of the valley. The Highlands were shrouded in windblown snow and hail, a white haze restricting her vision to less than a mile, at most. Trying to locate the monster in the developing blizzard-like conditions was going to be nearly impossible, although it was a welcomed distraction from her current thoughts and concerns.

 

In usual circumstances, monster tracking brought back fond memories of her adolescent years in the shroud, gathering animal pelts and skins for the Gridanian leatherworker’s guild. Meticulously tracking paw prints and sightings of animals was something that always brought Aunyx a sense of pride and accomplishment- and it was steady, welcomed work from the leather workers and armorers of the Shroud.  The current conditions, however, were making this hunt more frustrating than rewarding. She had set off almost immediately after receiving the hunt bill, foregoing any rest at the camp- not that she would have gotten any real sleep anyways. Restful sleep had eluded her since the bloodshed in Ala Mhigo, and had been instead replaced with erratic naps and long, sleepless nights. It was quickly approaching a full week without proper sleep, and Aunyx was unsure how much longer she could go without passing out from exhaustion. Through all her travels, exhaustion had never fatigued her like it did now. Sure, she had felt tired, been injured and weakened, but none of that compared to the weight she carried on her shoulders now. Whether that was from the mysterious voice that unwillingly plagued her mind off and on -or the stress and worry over her friends- she wasn’t entirely sure. Maybe a few days rest would have been beneficial, even if she had to put up with prying eyes and questions from the knights back at Camp Dragonhead.

 

Her tattered cloak whipped and pulled in the winds, sending a shiver down her back that froze her to her tail tip. This was absolutely miserable; the wind, the cold, and the godawful wet feeling as the snow infiltrated and melted in the open gaps of her bonewiccan boots. A concerned chirp erupted from the large falcon, flapping its wings to remove the snow that was beginning to freeze to it’s delicate feathers. Aunyx gently soothed the bird, petting it’s large break gently with her gloved hand. The bird pressed its beak against her hand, nuzzling into her palm with soft, nervous coos. It wasn’t ideal for her mount to be out in this weather either, the bird was accustomed to warmer updrafts and much more arid regions. The sooner she found her prey, the sooner both of them could get out of the elements and into a nice, dry stable or room.  


 

She had left Ala Mhigo almost a week ago, waiting until the dead of night to sneak away from her room and leave the sanctuary. Aunyx knew that Yugiri, who had chosen to stay in Ala Mhigo to watch over her recovery, would have pleaded and begged for her to stay. Or worse, tell Lyse of her plans to leave the safety of the Ala Mhigan Quarter. It was easier to sneak away in the middle of the night, her destination unknown to those who would have tried to stop her. However shameful she felt, Aunyx knew she had to get away, far away, and just be alone. She needed to process everything that happened without someone breathing down her neck and watching her every movement like a hunting hawk. Lyse and Yugiri meant well, that much she knew and knew well, but the echoes of the mysterious voice in her head made Aunyx hesitant to stay. While the voice had only plagued the scions, would it spread to others? She didn’t want to test that theory. Leaving the Ala Mhigan Quarter wasn’t selfish, she had told herself. It was the best for everyone involved in this hellish mess unfolding before the Alliance. Her friends, the resistance, herself. Her wounds and physical ailments had healed just enough to allow her to travel by air, choosing her faithful lanner as her preferred escape method. Traveling by Aetheryte would have easier, and much faster, but the chance of being caught and questioned by resistance guards was much higher- a risk she wasn’t willing to take considering the current situation regarding the advancing Garlean Empire. She was also unsure if her body could handle the aetheric current and subsequent apparition that followed aether travel- her plan was to attempt travel once she healed more in Foundation with shorter-distance aethernets around the city. That could wait though. For now, her plans were to lay low until reaching Ishgard, find a place to hunker down, and have a moment to gather her thoughts and plan a new approach to the developing situation at hand. 

 

The plan hadn’t included getting roped into a S rank hunt, however. A regrettably old habit of checking huntboards had managed to put her Ishgard plans on hold, at least until Safat was slaughtered and the head brought to the camp’s Hunt master. If she didn’t take the hunt, she knew it could be weeks, possibly months until another capable adventurer passed through the area, and even then it wasn’t a guarantee. No, she was more than capable of taking the dragon down, it was her  _ duty _ even, as a Warrior of Light, no matter the pitiful state she was currently in. The hefty 20,000 gil reward was also a welcome sight to behold after leaving the majority of her fortune in Kugane with Tataru for safe keeping. In normal circumstances, this hunt would have been easy for her. The thrill of an easy, meaningless fight. Something that didn’t involve politics, wars, or corrupt nations. No differing opinions, ideals or grand schemes. Or people. Killing people was something Aunyx felt she had done enough of as of late.

 

Aunyx stood in the snow motionless, her eyes focused on the ground, an almost emotionless expression worn on her face. She had taken so many lives. More than she would have ever expected when she agreed to fell eikons. She had watched the life leave her enemies eyes as she pushed her lance into their chests. Heard their beastly screams as she sliced through their limbs and bodies with the sharp edges of her weapons. Watched as they drew their last breaths before leaving their physical bodies. And she had done this, over and over  _ and over again _ . How many had it been? Too many to keep track of, too many nameless enemies cut down in an attempt to protect herself and others. Hell, she couldn’t even remember the first person she had killed in the name of Hydaelyn, a moment she thought would be deeply ingrained in her thoughts and memories. And she couldn’t even recall their face. A feeling of anguish filled her stomach at the thought of the atrocities she had committed in the name of a god. A god that had since abandoned them, destined for another failing star. A god that she believed in. Or, at least, had believed in. Her days of fascination and loyalty to Hydaelyn had severely waned, though she would not admit it to any the Scions. 

 

The irony in the grand scheme of the things, Aunyx thought, was that the Scions found their purpose in killing gods. Whether it was beast tribes or those who had felt wronged by their supposed protectors, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn found steady work in destroying deities of others that they themselves had deemed dangerous. In her younger years, Aunyx did not question this- though as her knowledge of the world grew, she began to question Hydaelyn’s driving force for eradicating primals. Yes, they were dangerous. But what of Hydaelyn herself? An all knowing god that allowed these primals to be summoned in the first place? If she was so powerful, what was stopping her from preventing these summonings? These pointless wars and destruction? Surely the Ascians and their diety Zodiark, albeit powerful, were no match for Hyadelyn’s great power? And yet she had abandoned those most loyal to her. Hydaelyn wasn’t even even here  _ now,  _ when her faithful Scions had succumb to an endless slumber. She was off somewhere else, leaving a void in Aunyx’s mind. Like apart of her was missing, a once familiar voice, gone. A piece of her soul, missing. Replaced now with a haunting voice of god knows what. And another, one who she had not talked to in a long time….one who had remained strangely quiet through her travels in Othard.

 

“It’s been a long time.” Ah, there it was. All it took was a fleeting moment of remember who they- _ no _ , who he was. And he was there, almost instantaneously. 

 

“Did you come here to berate me on taking up more pointless quests, because that’s the last thing I need right now.” Aunyx said plainly, not bothering to turn around and face the man she knew had manifested behind her. 

 

“Normally, I would. But given the situation, it seems you’ve already done my job for me. You look like shit.” Fray was never one to shy away from being direct. At least, the Fray she knew. “You’ve only got yourself to blame for the sorry state you’re in.”

 

Normally his words dripped with a slight hint of sarcasm, though this time he was more direct. She could almost sense pity in his voice. Pity aimed at her. 

 

“If this is your attempt at a pep talk, it’s not working. Go crawl back to whatever abyss you came from, i’m not in the mood to deal with you.” Turning around to face Fray, her gaze was met with piercing yellow eyes peeking from the slits in his dark helmet. While his face was obscured, she could tell the expression he wore was annoyance. 

 

Toe-to-toe in the worsening blizzard, neither spoke- Aunyx shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, his beastly eyes now scanning over her with a fleeting glint of concern. On one hand, she was relieved to see Fray- his presence within her mind had been absent for months, and before that he had uttered few words besides the occasional helpful hint or word of encouragement during battle. But he had disappeared from her conscious soon after the liberation of Ala Mhigo. On the other hand, Fray was just, so...Fray. Whether he was berating her on a accepting more quests than she could realistically accomplish, or dissecting her fighting stance in the middle of a fight, he always knew how to push her buttons. In this moment, however, the silence growing between them was concerning. Frighteningly, even. 

 

“When was the last time you communed with the abyss?”

 

Thankful as she was that the silence was broken, Aunyx didn’t want to admit the truth- she hadn’t communed with the darkside in...how long had it been? Long enough that she couldn’t distinctly remember.  _ Shite _ . When Fray, and later Sid, had taught her how to how to properly commune with the darkness inside herself, they both had stressed the importance of communing regularly. To commune with the darkness inside yourself was to be at peace with the chaos within your heart, your very soul. To set ablaze the abyss within one’s body when it was needed. At first, despite the discomfort of facing the dark energy within herself, she attuned regularly. Remaining in Ishgard after the events of the Dragonsong War made it easy for her to practice the dark arts. While she was not particularly skilled with a broadsword (a fact that both Fray and Sid could agree with, after many sparring sessions), manipulation of the abyss and dark aether came shockingly easy to her. Her ease with the darkness did not make it easier to practice, however, and soon after leaving Ishgard, and most of her fending armor and claymore behind, she had become lax in her communions, until stopping altogether. 

 

“It’s...been awhile.” 

 

“That was a rhetorical question, I know you don’t know. You haven’t communed since we first arrived in… whatever that eastern port city was. Our last charity cause to places unknown.” He almost spat those last words, waving his hand erratically in the air. “The Scions just  _ needed  _ us to follow them halfway around the world for some political mess we had no hand in creating. Ah, but it’s for the  _ good _ of Eorzea right? Bring peace and prosperity to the entire world, was it? And how did that end up?” 

 

“The war’s not over it’s just- it’s a just bit complicated.” She held her head in her hands and turned around, already growing tired of the conversation at hand. Going to Ishgard was supposed to ease her worries, not exacerbate them. “Everything’s complicated right now. I just..I just need time. To fix it. To fix everyone. Everything.”

 

“Tell me then, where does running away fit into our plan?” 

 

Yet another pause between the two, staring idly at each other. This time, Aunyx turned around and gazed past Fray, Avoiding eye contact, she realized he had caught onto her plan. Or lack thereof.

 

She should have known better. Where she ended, Fray began. Sometimes, especially times like these when Fray used words like “us’ and ‘we’, she had a hard time distinguishing what thoughts were her own and which were Fray’s. Of course he knew there was no plan after reaching Ishgard- Aunyx had purposefully avoided the thought of what she would do when she arrived. And her thoughts were his thoughts, afterall. 

 

“You’re running away from your problems with your tail between your legs. You commit to setting yourself ablaze to help others unworthy rescue, but when it gets too tough, you  _ run _ . You’ve done it time and time again- Don’t try to deny it as i’ve witnessed it.”

 

Aunyx didn’t need Fray to elaborate- her thoughts were flooded with the memories of Zenos yae Galvus, the Doman war, the early attempts at liberating Ala Mhigo that ended in the slaughter of countless innocent bystanders. Even earlier memories of fleeing dragon-infested settlements right here in Coerthas. Watching as Ishgardians fled in terror from Iceheart’s loyal followers tearing through the streets of Ishgard.

 

Fray continued. “You think you can attone your mistakes by making up for it- like this hunt for example. How does this solve anything besides assisting some lazy knights who can’t manage to kill a single damn dragon?”

 

“It...doesn’t.” As hard as it was to admit, Aunyx knew she had been pushed into a corner. There was no use in trying to defend her actions, knowing that any attempts would play right into Fray’s hand. 

 

“At least you can admit it- That’s improvement over the first time we met.” 

 

“The world is unfair.” 

 

“Unfair? Yes, but that’s life. Nothing is fair- it just is.” His voice became melancholy, taking a few steps towards Aunyx. He reached out with his gloved hand towards her, palm facing upward, fingers slightly curled. He continued. “The sooner you accept it, the better off we will be. Nothing comes without a price. But you already know that.” 

 

Reluctantly, aunyx reached out, slowly moving towards the outstretched hand before her. As soon as her fingers reached Frays, her hand effortlessly cut through the illusion, the dark black and blue aetherial wisps disintegrating as the slightest touch. 

Fray gave a dry chuckle, watching as his fingers returned to their former aetheric illusion once Aunyx removed her hand. “See? I’ve paid my price.” 

 

A shrill screech broke the tension between the two warriors, echoing off the cliff walls and landscape. Aunyx’s head swiveled towards the source of the sound, her purple eyes attempting to focus through the now white-out conditions that had developed. Through the heavy precipitation, the shape of a large, dark monster appeared, it’s wings struggling to gain lift as the wind howled. It’s pelt was a dark shade of rustic green, and had several spikes lining its back and head. No doubt, it had to be her target. The animal gave another loud cry, before descending into the valley below, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. 

 

“There’s no use in telling you not to follow it- best to go now before you lose sign of it in the storm.” Fray sighed, his usual attitude and demeanor returning. He faced away from Aunyx and his body began to disintegrate into the air - the illusion he had manifested was fading, a sign that his conscious would return to the depths of her mind and soul crystal. 

 

“Try not to burn yourself alive to keep others warm, Aunyx.” 

 

While the remaining wisps of dark aether faded, Aunyx climbed onto the back of her falcon, sliding her feet into the stirrups and pulling back tauntly on the reigns. Her lanner chirped, spreading its wings into the gail and taking flight. The conditions, as she correctly predicted, had taken a turn for the worse during her fleeting reunion with Fray. Her mount struggled against the wind and ice, using it’s large wingspan to flap aggressively against the battering storm above them. It wouldn’t be easy, but she could still finish the hunt, albeit it was now a race against the clock- between following the dragon to a place she could fight and the now setting light that was already severely impaired by the clouds and snow.  _ Fury,  _ this favor had turned into a huge headache, for many reasons. 

 

_ Try not to burn yourself alive to keep others warm, Aunyx. _

  
Fray’s last words echoed in her mind. She knew there was truth in what he had said- before she had ignored his warnings, though this time she couldn’t help but dwell on it. This was the last thing her mind needed right now, especially going into a fight. She attempted to shake the growing worry from her head, focusing instead on shifting her weight to a standing position in the saddle. Loosening her grip on the reigns, she motioned for the bird to descend into the valley beneath them, the last place she had seen the dragon before it disappeared into the haze. The bird folded its wings against it’s body, and the two descending in a controlled free fall towards the rocky surface below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aunyx wears a full set of Bonewicca skinner gear, dyed Maroon. I'm bad at describing her features ahhh. But hopefully that gives you an idea. I'm posting this super early (1am) so if there are errors, i'll catch them on my read through sometime later today. 
> 
> Once again thanks for kudos, subs and comments!


	6. Clash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back and I definitely didn’t rush this chapter. Nu-uh. No way. This was also a hard chapter to write. Bleh.  
>  I wanted to wait to continue the story until we got the last patch before Shadowbringers- Due to ingame events there may be some canon divergent plot stuff in the timeline I have drafted. But that’s later.

“Behind the rocks,  _ now Rielle! _ ” Sid hissed over his shoulder, Deathbringer drawn quicky from his back, his eyes locked the beast. The dragon had quickly descended from the thick layer of fog encompassing the Highlands, and now stood challengingly before them.   


  


As luck would have it, Sid and Rielle didn’t have to spend long looking for the dragon- It had found them even in the thick hailstorm plaguing the highlands. Descending from the clouds and landing heavily on a large boulder, the earth shook with enormous size. The dragon, now perched on a pile of boulders, flapped its wings against the winds, clearing any remaining snow from the surrounding area. The only sound heard in the gorge was the whistling of the gales, and the violent swaying of the fir branches in the storm’s grip. 

  


Sid had been right- the hunt posting had been incredibly vague, especially considering that this thing was the size of a  _ goddamn building.  _ It was easy to see why the monster was causing Camp Dragonhead so many problems and headaches- Between the rows of orange spikes adorning the dragon’s head, the jagged fangs that protruded from it’s mouth, and the various scars and wounds spread across its body, the monster had seen it’s fair share of combat. This was going to be a lot more complicated than he had originally planned, and it was going to take a lot more than some haphazard swings and strategic cuts to even begin to bring it down.  _ Fucking great. _ Almost sensing a hint of doubt in the Dark Knight, the monster let out a screech, it’s roar reverberating off the snowdrifts and cliffs surrounding the battlefield. 

  


Tightening his grip on his blade, Sid lowered his gaze, his blue eyes entirely focused on the monster before him. Rielle had retreated to the nearby rocks, a place where she would be safe- so long as he held the dragon’s attention. He cast a quick glance to Rielle, confirming her location and safety, before focusing inward. Drawing a deep breath, he began to let the darkness swell inside his chest, a warm and familiar feeling engulfing him, his dark aether beginning to swirl around his hands and blade. This is what he knew, what he had spent his life perfecting- combat. He gave a quick smirk, before throwing his blade into the air, an ominous haze circling the weapon as it drew its strength from the darkside. Lowering Deathbringer, Sid pulled back his shoulders, readying himself as he awaited the dragon’s response. 

  


The dragon reacted just as Sid had hoped. The monster, now enraged at the threatening display that Sid had performed, lept from it’s vantage point and landed within ten feet of him, it’s size even more apparent as the distance between them shortened. Now closer to the beast, Sid quickly began scanning it’s hide for a potential weakness, a place to focus his strikes and slashes. There had to be a weak point, somewhere. He didn’t have much time to think before the dragon charged at him, it’s muscled forearms cutting through the deep snow with ease.  _ Shite,  _ it moved much faster than he had anticipated. Dodging, Sidurgu was able to evade the dragon’s charge, but his movement had been greatly impacted by the weather conditions, and his armor was beginning to collect clumps of snow in it’s chainmail and steel plates. The longer the battle drug on, the more difficult it was going to be to maneuver- something that was already made tedious by the weight of his armor in normal circumstances. This wasn’t the time to think about that, he thought, and shifted his attention back to the situation at hand. Any distraction, any loss of focus, could end this fight as quickly as it started. Taking advantage of the beast repositioning itself, Sid launched himself at Safat, plunging his blade into the thick, scaley hide at the monster’s chest. He pushed downward as the blade struggled to sink any deeper into the monster. The weapon drew a long cut into its victim, blood swelling to the open wound and oozing out into the cold air. A clean hit, one that even Sid was surprised worked as well as it did. Safat gave a visceral cry, a sound much less threatening than before. Pulling his blade from the monster’s body, Sid took several steps back to increase the distance between the two, his guard still high. A single cut wasn’t going to kill it, but it was a damn good start. 

Almost immediately the dragon whipped its head around and lunged at Sid, it’s mouth gaping open to reveal rows upon rows of sharpened teeth. He had little time to react and attempted to dodged to his left, although it was not nearly fast enough. Avoiding the worst of the bite, Safat’s teeth scraped against his pauldron, large puncture marks leaving it’s impression on Sid’s armor. He staggered and steadied himself with his blade thrust into the frozen ground, not expecting to take a hit so quickly after inflicting a decent wound on the monster. Sid lifted a armored glove to his shoulder and, while he had avoided any bite wounds, the sheer force of the dragon colliding him had left him winded, and certain that a bruise would develop. As he adjusted himself and readied for the next attack, he could feel a much softer current of aether flowing around him. The pain in his shoulder began to melt away, although a manageable ache still lingered. Healing could only do so much, after all.   
  


“Keep that up Rielle.” Sid called out, knowing that the elezen could hear him from her hiding spot amongst the rocks. Teasingly, he added “A shield would have been nice there though.”

  


“Shut up, I’m working on it!” Rielle replied, conjuring another healing spell as she fought against the winds to keep her balance on the uneven terrain. However much Sidurgu teased her, there was a small part of him relieved that she had pestered him to come along. Rielle managed to conjure a Divine Benison around Sidurgu, the faint glow of a shield glittering around his body, before retreating up the rocky terrain to a more sheltered vantage point. 

  


The exchange between the two was short, as the dragon whipped it’s head back towards Sid. This time, he was prepared for the attack and lifted his greatsword to deflect the deadly mouth hurtling towards him. Metal met teeth and flesh, and Sid pushed back against the monster with his blade in hand. Using gravity to his advantage, he pushed down hard on Deathbringer, carving a fissure in Safat’s lower jaw. Abruptly the dragon pulled back, taking several steps backwards as the new wound in it’s mouth opened, spilling more blood. The warm liquid dripped brightly onto the snow, leaving red puddles staining the otherwise monochrome environment. Sid had the upper hand now, even for a moment, and took his chance. Focusing his energy into his sword, he unleashed a blinding light of aether and sent it directly into the beast’s side, tearing through it’s delicate wings. The force alone was enough to rip through it’s winged membranes, it’s wings now unusable. The dragon faltered, taking several steps back before the weight of its body forced its legs to buckle beneath it. Safat lowered its head closer to the ground, pulling it's now tattered wings closer to its bloodied body.

  


The battle was now in his favor. An easy 20,000 gil, good as secured at this point. And no sign of the wandering adventurer who he had worried so much about- this hunt was his and his alone. Sid removed one of his armored hands from his sword, letting the blade trail in the snow as he began to take several steps towards his prey. 

  


“We’re done here.” Sid raised his broadsword up into the air, staring into Safat’s glossy, golden eyes. Suddenly, a deep, rumbling growl erupted from its throat, a faint glint in it’s eyes. Sid hesitated for a moment, noticing the shift in the dragon’s composure. 

  


What Sidurgu didn’t expect was the long, whip-like tail that swiftly came from behind him, slamming directly into the back of his legs. He fell to his knees, scrambling to grab his weapon with his free hand. He had been overconfident in his victory- The one thing that Ompagne had always berated him about.  _ Never underestimate your opponent until their head is in your hands _ , the words flooded back to Sidurgu. Muttering curses under his breath, he looked up just in time to watch a large, clawed paw hurtling towards him. The two collided- the impact flung Sid into the rock wall behind him, rendering him almost paralyzed, the edges of his vision blurring. Through the loud ringing in his ears, he could make up the sound of Rielle’s voice, urgent and crying out for him to reply. His eyes tried to focus on the blurry body of the creature limping towards him, but the force of the impact had  _ fucking hurt.  _

  


_ “Shit shit shit.”  _ He spat, his fingers struggling to grip onto the hilt of his sword, trying to pull himself upwards out of the deep snow. Struggling, almost panicking, He hoisted himself upwards with a grunt, feeling the unpleasant sensation of his injuries. His side burned hot with pain, making any deep breaths near impossible. Unsteady on shaking legs, he held his sword low as the dragon approached, limping awkwardly, but approaching nonetheless. Sidurdu’s eyes narrowed, trying to focus his vision as it blurred in and out- focusing. And fighting, would be much harder now, and he was more likely to make a mistake considering the condition he was in. If he could somehow get a clear shot of it’s throat, maybe he could deepen the wound he had inflicted earlier- if it was deep enough, and at the right angle, he could maybe cut through to it’s windpipe, and let it choke on it’s own blood. That would slow it down, at the very least, right? Bloody, and slow, but effective. Or maybe a blow to its front legs, he wouldn’t have to worry about another punc-

His thoughts were interrupted as a flash of pure white erupted around him, enveloping the area in a shadowless light. Bright, intense light flooded his vision of the dragon, as it cried out in pain. Momentarily confused, Sidurgu’s expression turned into anger.

  


That was a  _ fucking Holy. _

  


As the light faded, he could make out Rielle’s casting coat among the rocks, her staff raised as she finished casting the spell. She gave a stern, yet concerned look at Sidurgu, acknowledging that she had broken her promise.  _ You can yell at me later,  _ she seemed to say through her expression. Turning her attention back towards Safat, she began casting another spell, the green glow from her staff intensifying as she levitated the rocks around her, and flung one directly into Safat’s injured jaw. 

  


Safat snarled, it’s anger building as Rielle threw more rocks, shifting it’s attention away from Sidurgu. Rielle’s face was emotionless, solely concentrating on all her trainings, all her lessons, into casting stone after stone at the beast. Each hit, Safat grew more irritated, it’s attention now focused on Rielle entirely. The dragon turned it’s body away from Sid, snarling as it began to scale the rocks, displacing boulders as it dug its claws into the hillside. Realizing the situation had turned against her, Rielle stood motionless, almost frozen in fear. She wanted to move,  _ to run.  _ She tried to move her legs, but found herself completely unable to do anything but watch as the dragon inched closer, scaling the wall with ease despite of it’s injuries.

  


“Stop throwing stones and  _ MOVE.”  _ Sid called out, quickly assessing the danger that Rielle had now put herself in. This was exactly what he was afraid of, why he was so hesitant to bring her to a hunt-sure, Rielle could cast magic in the safety of Ishgard with no problems, no fears. A fight- a real, unchoreographed fight, was different. The speed, the stress. Rielle was young, she didn’t have the experience to block out the battle, to turn off the emotions that made her such a competent healer in any other situation. He was angry; not only at her for breaking her promise, but at himself for bringing her along. 

  


“MOVE,  _ now _ Rielle! Get away from it!” He continued to shout, struggling to grasp any lingering energy from within his soul stone. A single, well placed hit was all he needed to draw the monster’s attention back to him. Grasping his chest armor with his gauntlet, he tried and tried to muster any remaining aether he had. Nothing. His hands were shaking now, clinging against the steel chest plate. He had to do something.  _ Anything _ . Realizing that his only remaining choice was raw,physical damage, he used his remaining energy and hurled his sword at the direction of Safat. The blade missed, instead sinking into a snowdrift besides the ascending dragon. Safat diverted it’s attention momentarily away from Rielle, eyeing the sword, then back to Sidurgu. He hadn’t thought his plan completely through- he was now injured, unarmed, with nothing to defend himself with if the dragon chose to return it’s focus back to the Dark Knight. He would deal with that later- he just needed it to lose it’s interest in Rielle. 

  


Safat locked eyes with Sidurgu, and for a moment Sid though the plan had worked.

  


“Come here bastard, fight me instead!” Growling through barred teeth, Sidurgu staggered a couple of feet forward, pushing through the ache in his side. He wasn’t going to give up, and he was especially not going to die in some god forsaken cold wasteland by the hands of a shitty, overgrown lizard. 

  


Suddenly, a shadow flew across the snow in front of him, the shape small at first but growing larger as it moved. Safat motioned it’s head towards the sky, letting a subtle, confused growl fall from it’s injured mouth. It’s eyes darted back and forth, almost as if it was searching for something. Whatever it was, Sidurgu thought, it got the dragon’s attention off rielle, even if it was temporarily. Rielle picked up on this as well, as she continued her escape into the higher reaches of the cliffs. 

Out of the cold, snowy air came a lance, it’s metal a deep,dark maroon with silver embellishments. The spear, moving with alarming speed, flew into the back of the dragon, it’s head lodging itself deeply into the olive hide. Safat reared up, crying out as it slid down from the rock wall, grasping at boulders as fell. Sidurgu instinctively tensed up, wishing now that he hadn’t thrown his sword earlier. The attacker must have been airborne, circling the area for god knows how long, probably waiting for the opportunity to strike. 

  


Following the lance, a dark, shrouded figure fell from the sky, landing perfectly upright in the snow behind the dragon. Their face was obscured by a ornate helmet, it’s shape resembling a skull, horns adorning each side of the mask. They wore a maroon outfit, similar in style and color to the lance, although the top was tattled and burned, burned at the edges and stained with dark colors. As quickly as the new opponent appeared, they were airborne again, this time leaping onto the dragons back, pulling the spear out of it’s victim. The figure flipped backwards, gracefully landing into a defensive position behind the dragon, the spear dripping blood from it’s point. Safat whirled around, snarling as it raised it’s paw to strike at the new enemy. Too slow, the figure was much faster than Sidurgu, dodging quickly and switching to an offensive stance, noticing that Safat was wide open for a counterattack. The spear found the wound that Sidurgu had opened earlier in the fight, and was thrust into the opening with a ripping noise as the flesh was further torn open. 

Whoever this was, they were fast. Fast enough to out maneuver every attempted hit, swipe and bite that Safat threw their way. Every attack, they had a counterattack to match, inflicting small, but numerous cuts and stabs on the flesh of the beast. Annoying as it was to be outmatched by an unknown opponent, Sid was thankful they had chosen to intervene when they did. The attention had been diverted off of Rielle, and Sid was able to retrieve his sword, now able to rejoin the fight. The Lancer, a miqote by the look of the tail swishing back and forth behind them, glanced and nodded a the Dark Knight, acknowledging that it was going to take two to fell the beast. The lancer began weaving their spear behind their back, switching between hands as it created a mesmerizing motion. They were drawing the dragon’s full attention in their direction. A distraction to create an opening for a final strike. Sid nodded, hoping that he understood correctly what the lancer was doing. Silently he strafed through the snow, careful to not make sudden movements or sounds as his armor drug along the ground. He had just enough energy, hopefully, to carve into the monster’s neck. Still preoccupied with the lancer’s movement, Sid took one final moment before expending all his energy into a final blow, his broadsword slamming into the harden scales at the top of Safat’s throat. The blade met resistance, he pushed harder, throwing every last ounce of energy he had into forcing the blade through the thick skin. Safat screamed, its attention drawn towards Sid as it realized what was happening. The lancer took the opportunity, and swiftly pierced the spear into its chest, twisting as they sunk the weapon deeper and deeper into the dragon’s chest cavity. A shudder, and the dragon’s body went limp, it’s limbs twitching before ceasing to move. The monster’s blood gushed from both wounds, melting the snow underfoot the two mercenaries as they both stood still, waiting to confirm the dragon’s death. Sid held his breath, half expecting the dragon to rise again, but Safat stirred no more. The mark was dead. Finally. 

  


Pulling his blade from Safat’s neck, Sid attention turned towards the adventurer. Both hunters faced each other as the heavy snow wafted around them, the silence growing as they sized each other up. From under the mask, the lancer gave a weak smile, before reaching up to remove their helm. Sidurgu braced himself, unsure of what the lancer was doing. 

  


The lancer removed the helmet slowly, wisps of dark wine colored hair falling to their shoulders. Sidurgu’s expression grew confused, before smirking and closing his eyes. He reopened them, his signature frown returning to his face.  
  
“Well, you’re the last person I expected to see in Coerthas. Where the hell have you been?” 

  


Aunyx stood before the au ra, holding her helmet at her side, a drained expression on her face. She looked tired, worn down, as if she hadn’t slept in days. The Warrior of Light looked absolutely defeated, despite the smile that stretched across her face. Sidurgu’s eyes wandered to her ear, noticing the fresh wound scabbing over. What the hell had happened to her? What had happened in the past two years since she disappeared?

  


“I’ve been...well, it’s a long story. But i’m back, it’s good to see you too, Sid.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS WRITING FIGHT SCENES IS HARD I HATE IT LOL IM SORRY FOR LONG DELAY.


	7. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AHHH. So uhh life update- got a full time job, moved outta my parents, got my own place, and have been very busy with work OTL And also Shadowbringers, but that's another thing lol.  
> This is super late, but I AM STILL WRITING I PROMISE. Here is a new update. I will go back, as usual, and make edits tonight. feels good to update this though :') Hoping my writer's voice comes back, i think i lost a little bit of it in my 3 month break....

Well.  
  
This isn’t how she expected the hunt to turn out.

 

Weary and worn from the fight, Aunyx leaned against her lance to steady her shaking body. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins, something she hadn’t noticed until she had stopped moving. This was her first fight after Ghimlyt Dark- and she could tell she had overdone it far too soon. It felt as if all the healing her body had done the past week had been undone in  a matter of minutes. The worst of the pain stemmed from the headache growing near her brow- a sign that she shouldn’t have, quite literally, jumped into her usual fighting style. No new wounds, thankfully. And no reopened injuries. A small victory. 

 

Before her stood Sid, his armor covered in blood, although she wasn’t sure if it was his or Safat’s. He too looked fatigued from the fight, his breathing heavy and slightly labored. Besides the red liquid staining his armor and the new damage to his pauldron, he looked the same as she remembered-  ridiculously tall, at least compared to everyone else in Coerthas, unruly as ever hair, and piercing blue limbal rings that were so sharp they could cut through iron. At his side was Deathbringer, it’s blade still sharp, thought a few new nicks were visible on the blunt edges of the decorative plating. No surprise, it had gotten some use while she had been away. It had, after all, been a few years.

 

Guilt burned inside her, the realization of how long she had been away. It had literally been  _ years,  _ though to her it all felt like a blur. Time wasn’t something she kept track of during her travels, a trait that she had grown to despise. How much she had probably missed. Small things, big things. She could have at least written- she had made attempts early in her travels, but fights and skirmishes, not to mention always being on the move, had become an obstacle.. News from Eorzea traveled slowly across the ocean to Shirogane, and even slower into the small rural settlements that dotted the foothills around the Steppe. It shouldn’t have been an excuse, but she had let it become one. This had never been her intention, but the Scions and the many conflicts in the world had always pushed her far away. 

 

“And here I thought I’d have to fight someone over this hunt mark.” Sid huffed, a relieved tone hinted in his voice. “Didn’t think I’d need someone to save my ass instead. Glad it was you and not some eager passerby.”

 

 Ah, yeah. He hadn’t changed. 

 

Aunyx merely nodded, avoiding his gaze as she turned her attention to the dragon’s corpse beside them. The blood had stopped spilling from its neck, but now the two mercenaries were faced with a new problem- the pair were in no condition to move the head of the monster back to dragonhead. She wasn’t even sure if either of them had the strength to shave the dragon’s head from it’s neck. For all the effort Safat had been, it continued to be a problem even after she laid dead. 

 

 “Aunyx!” A high-pitched voice cut through the silent tension growing between the two mercenaries, and her attention turned to the direction the voice had rang out. Quickly moving down the rocky slope, Rielle lept from boulder to boulder, her staff gripped tightly in her mitted hands. She scrambled down the last rock, taking a large leap to the snowy ground below, before catching her breath. 

She was unharmed, thankfully, though her breathing was labored and wafts of green hair clung to her forehead. Her emerald green eyes shone distinctly against the whitewashed landscape, the glitter of her fiery personality shining in her irises. Rielle was taller than Aunyx now, another reminder of the time that had passed- She had been a few inches shorter than Aunyx the last time she had seen the elezen. Her features had sharpened, though she still had the soft expression that carried a sense of calmness and comfort.

 

“Can you tell me what in the seven hells you were thinking?” Sid moved towards Rielle, the venom in his voice practically dripping as he glared at her. “We agreed, no combat-  _ Nothing at all, no exceptions _ \- and you deliberately ignore me and start casting spells-”  

 

The softness in Rielle’s features harden, her expression turning dark as she stood her ground against Sidurgu berating her.

“I wasn’t going to sit idly by and let that thing, _ that monster _ , kill you. You were already hurt, and it was…” her voice grew quiet as she trailed off, not wanting to finish her thought. Rielle mustered up some courage, and although her voice was shaking, she continued. “It’s over, i’m fine, you’re fine. It’s okay.” 

 

“It’s not okay, we had an agreement and you broke it. This is why I never take you with me.” Sidurgu huffed, exacerbating the wound on his shoulder. He wanted to say so much more; the fear he still felt in his throat watching the dragon inch towards her, the anger boiling inside him that she had broken his trust, and the relief still washing over him that she was safe and although very visibly shaken, unharmed. But the growing ache in his arm derailed his train of thought as he gripped the damaged pauldron that was now oozing fresh blood from between the chainmail.

 

“This conversation isn’t over.” He started, inhaling sharply as he rolled his shoulder blade back, trying to stretch the muscle he could feel already tightening. “But we need to start heading back towards Dragonhead before we lose any more daylight.”  

 

His attention turned back towards Aunyx, surprised that she had not intervened in the heated conversation. Her gaze was focused elsewhere, her expression hard to read. Sidurgu eyes narrowed. While she had never been easy to read, her current disposition felt incredibly off to Sidurgu. She seemed distant, and far more reserved than he had remembered. The last time he had seen her this way was their first few encounters- which was understandable given the circumstances.  The time away from Coerthas had done  _ something  _ to her, but exactly what, Sidurgu had not the faintest idea. 

 

As if she could feel his gaze lingering, she spoke.

 

“Sid’s right, we need to get out of the storm before nightfall.” acknowledging that she had, in fact, been listening to the quarrel. “But first, how are we dragging this corpse back with us?” 

“That’s a good question.” For all their effort of felling the beast, getting it back to the camp was going to be a battle in itself. For most of his recent hunts, he had fared well with clear skies and gentle winds. This time, they were not as fortunate. Along with the deteriorating weather conditions, His injury would make hauling a piece of the corpse back to Dragonhead a complete nightmare of a task. All things considered, he would be a fool to leave the body for some passerby to pick up the bounty. “You want to do the honors of beheading the bastard, or should I?” 

 

\-------------------

 

The march back to Camp was exhausting, as expected, as the snowstorm howled on. Any trace of daylight was soon extinguished, as the storm began to take it’s hold on the valley. Aunyx’s tail and fur was frozen with various icicles, her boots full with melted snow and her under clothes damp with cold sweat. Rielle, despite her best efforts and usually sunny personality, couldn’t shake the feeling of the coerthas chill down to her very bones. Sidurgu was grumpier than Rielle had seen in ages, his armor damaged, covered in snow and uncomfortable to walk for miles in half frozen. He hadn’t said a word since they had set off again for camp. The day had been miserable from start to finish.

 

 Sidurgu, with the assistance of Rielle’s restoration spells, was able to severe the dragon’s head from its body with a quick cleave from Deathbringer, a mess of blood trailing behind them as they hiked through the accumulating snow. Much to her falcon’s dismay and discomfort, Aunyx had been able to secure the dragon’s head with a variety of ropes and well-placed cords onto her mount’s saddle. She could deal with getting the blood stains and other various, unknown liquids out of the saddle another day. While the hunt had been a mess, the silver lining was nobody had sustained serious injuries (“Besides Sid’s pride” Rielle might add privately to Aunyx). 

 

The battle could have been far worse had Aunyx not arrived in time. Sidurgu didn’t want to linger on the thought, but it had dominated his mind since his adrenaline had subsided. Where had he made the first mistake? Overconfidence, his master would say. He was always too confident. Too sure in his abilities. Blind to small details in a fight. Fray had always managed to turn the tides of a friendly spar to his advantage, never underestimating his opponent. Well, he did once. And that cost him his life. Sidurgu frowned, pushing that memory back into his subconscious. The last thing He needed was to think about that now. 

 

“How much further?” Rielle’s voice was tired, defeated and completely remorseful as she whined. Any sign of excitement that she had shown earlier in the day was completely abandoned, instead replaced with fatigued and a hint of regret.

 

Neither of them answered her question. 

 

Aunyx, despite her best efforts to hide the pain, could feel the slight limp returning in her leg and the increasingly mind numbing headache festering in her brow. She had taken up the rear of the group, trying to hide her injuries from both Rielle and Sidurgu. She didn’t want to hear concern, full knowing that it was from a caring place among friends. She had enough of that with the Alliance, with the Scions. Everyone, really. Aunyx detested the feeling like she was some fragile piece of delicate treasure. Or worse, a weapon that they had to protect from forces that would use her 'gift', as so many called it, against Hydaelyn. Less and less she felt like a person and more of a weapon to be pointed at Hydaelyn’s enemies. she didn’t want to explain herself either, the months of turmoil in the east or the raging war occurring on Eorzea’s borders with the Garleans. And so far, neither Sidurgu or Rielle had bothered her about it. How long that would last, however, she was unsure. 

 

The voices that had fallen silent since the battle at ghimlyt, had returned since fleeing Ala Mhigo. Faint at first, but they returned nonetheless, regardless of her attempts to hold them back. 

 

_ Throw Wide the Gates;  _

_ Listen to my voice, listen to our heartbeat;  _

_ Only you…can forestall the calamity; _

 

The difference voices echoed against each other, some growing louder, while others grew fainter. The competing voices fought to be heard, a battleground inside her own head that she couldn’t escape from. Neverending, it seemed. gnawing at her sanity. They never did last, though they were more frequent and louder each time they graced her with their presence. As the voices waned, albeit temporarily, Aunyx’s vision cleared and she was brought back to reality. 

 

The group had stopped a ways in front of her, both Sidurgu and Rielle staring back at her with concerned faces, albeit Sidurgu’s expression was more obscured. Trying to diffuse the situation and prevent any prying questions, She gave a weak smile, perking her feline ears slightly forward to appear more alert and focused. No matter how hard she tried to hide her fatigue, she knew the bags under her sunken eyes gave her away immediately. One could guess she was tired from the fight, or tired from her travels. It wasn’t a stretch to think that the Warrior of Light would have some lingering injuries from previous fights as well, she thought as her mind raced for excuses and lies.  _ Please don’t ask, please just keep walking, _ Aunyx pleaded inside her mind.

 

 Sidurgu said nothing, instead taking what felt like an eternity to turn around and continue their pace. Rielle, on the other hand, grew more concerned, returning a faint smile before her expression turned more solemn, peering off in the direction Aunyx had been staring at moments earlier. 

 

Sidurgu knew Aunyx was a terrible liar, but even this was some of the worst lying he had ever seen her attempt to pass off. She didn’t have a limp before leaving Ishgard, though that was something that could have happened in any skirmish. No, what really troubled him was the way her eyes would wander, seemingly staring at nothing in monochrome landscape. How she would be there with them physically, but be utterly checked out mentally. It had happened twice already. He couldn’t recall this happening before she had left Coerthas, meaning something had changed since her departure. It was an unnerving feeling, though he couldn’t place why it bothered him so much. Maybe she was tired? He had no idea where she had been traveling from. But why hadn’t she traveled by Aetheryte? Another question to add to the growing pile of uncertainty. The question still lingered why she had fresh wounds to her ears and face, a condition he was unfamiliar seeing her in. While she had sustained a number of injuries during the Dragonsong War, she was always in high spirits and bounced back almost instantly, with a fervor that ignited the same passion in her comrades and friends. Instead, she was reserved and quiet, almost trying to hide something. But what? 

 

However much he wanted to press her for information, for details, for what exactly had happened to her, Sidurgu restrained himself. If she wanted to share, she would have told them. It wasn’t his place, he thought, to interrogate her for the truth. Not in the condition she was currently in, at least. There could be times for question when they had bother rested and nursed their wounds, and without Rielle to interject. It would be best to approach her without Rielle hovering over the two of them. 

 

While preoccupied with his thoughts, Sidurgu could make out the faint glow of the torches illuminating the entrance to the camp. The walk back to Dragonhead had been gruelling, but they could at last collect the bounty, rest overnight in the barracks and then head back to Foundation tomorrow morning. Another question arose- Would Aunyx come with them, or did she have another place she was headed? The answer could wait- for now, he looked forward to shedding his armor and cleaning up beside a hot fireplace with a heavy sack of gil. 


End file.
